Purple Haired Mountain Majesty
by metroanime
Summary: a brief look into how a different path taken by one child can change all those who interact with her.
1.

purple

  
yet another Bet storyline.   
Ranma 1/2 characters/situations tm R.Takahashi  
  
sincere thanks to my prereaders for helping to fine tune this puppy...  
  
--------  
  
"Athena?" Toltiir was surprised. The goddess of wisdom from two wards over, making a Bet entry?  
  
She nodded and looked for a timeline that was in the process of re-merging back into a major line, since that was one of the rules of this game. Only pick a timeline to alter that was about to "peter out" with a quantum variance (ie the thing that made that timeline unique) in the degrading stages. There were more of these surrounding an individual named Ranma Saotome than, for example, a young goddess named Belldandy or the thief named Arsene Lupin III.   
  
Besides, Athena had another motive. "In one Mode, or set of universes, I am also a patron of Amazons, it seems. Therefore, let me adjust THIS event here and see what transpires."  
  
--------  
  
Shampoo was lost, and for a six year old girl who'd just lost her mother, this was a bad thing. The trail ahead split into two paths, and Shampoo didn't know which one to follow.  
  
For a moment there seemed to be two Shampoos. One taking the left fork that eventually would have lead to her being found by other Amazons within a few miles of the Musk Citadel. She would end up scolded, her training regimen increased mercilessly, and her few friends drifting away as her available time for mischief dwindled. That one faded as the timeline changed.  
  
It wasn't too long before Shampoo was hungry, thirsty, and lost. She counted herself lucky when she saw pools of water up ahead.  


==================  
PURPLE haired MOUNTAIN MAJESTY.  
a Ranma fanfic by Gregg S.  
==================  


"Shampoo, NO!"  
  
Shampoo turned at the yell, her feet sliding on the soft mud until, arms windmilling, she fell.  
  
Shampoo felt a moment of panic, the pool's bottom had been clearly visible, roughly three feet deep, but the water seemed to force her down to the bottom.  
  
Cologne grabbed a hooked pole from the Guide, dropping her staff to use this other implement to pull Shampoo free.  
  
"She's fallen in the 'Spring Of Drowned Big Bad Wolf.' Supposedly there was a wolf that drowned there 14,500 years ago. However, nobody has fallen into that particular spring in some  
time."  
  
"Yes, yes, I know! Now help me get Shampoo out before it becomes Spring Of Drowned Six-year Old Girl!" Cologne had ahold of Shampoo's clothing but lacked the leverage needed to pull her clear of the spring's slope.  
  
"Already have one of those," the Guide commented, as he grabbed the pole and helped anchor Cologne as she moved Shampoo over the lip of the spring. "Every so often an old cursed spring seems to want make a new template. Also, no spring duplicates another spring's effects exactly. There is a 'Spring Of Drowned Girl' and there is a 'Spring Of Drowned Little Girl', for example." The Guide shut his mouth, after all the Amazon wasn't listening to him, nobody EVER listened to him.  
  
"She's not breathing," Cologne pulled the girl away from the spring and hit two pressure points. Shampoo spasmed, flailed around, and spit up a really large amount of water. "Okay. NOW she's breathing. She didn't change, either."  
  
"Checking something." The Guide muttered, finding a long grey hair and dipping it into the spring. The hair turned purple. "Spring succeed in changing itself. Think maybe it is now the Spring of Drowned Purple Haired Girl."  
  
"I'm not sure why she did not get a curse," Cologne noted. "You said this was a Spring Of Drowned Wolf? Why didn't she turn into a puppy?"  
  
"I don't know. Never seen anyone fall in that spring before. Maybe spring was mislabeled on my map." The Guide moved back to his hut. "Or maybe the spring lost the template, and that was why it was so anxious to make her the new template."  
  
Cologne looked at the cute little girl, and was grateful. At least she didn't fall in the Spring of Drowned Man, which would have been a horrible fate for an Amazon.  
  
-----------  
  
Shampoo looked out over the springs with her great grandmother. "So now there's a Spring Of Drowned Shampoo? And whoever falls in the spring will turn into my twin sister? NEAT!"  
  
"No, child." Cologne sighed. "Shampoo, there are times when we must be like an oak- strong and unbending, enduring through whatever the world may throw at us. There are also times we must be like a reed, and bend with whatever blow has been struck so that we may spring back again afterwards. To be an Amazon is to be like an oak, strong and proud, yet we came to this area and became Amazons by being like the reed- being flexible and adaptable."  
  
"What do you mean, Great-Grandma?" Shampoo was curious, it was obvious that her Great-grandmother was trying to say something of great import to her.  
  
"Quite simple, Great-grand-daughter. Many Amazons today are like the oak, rigid and  
unflexible, proud in their strength. What you went through today may indicate that the path I chose for you is not necessarily the one you are fated to have. 'Some people are born to Destiny, some have it thrust upon them, others are merely screwed over by it.'"  
  
Shampoo considered this. Cologne was an Elder and known to be a stickler for the customs,  
rules, and Laws of the community. Somehow her falling in the spring made things...different, even if it was just a possibility that was being mentioned now.  
  
"It MAY indicate that." Cologne sighed. Whatever was going on, it bore further study. She wasn't willing to bet that Shampoo had miraculously avoided a curse, so something else was afoot. If it was what she thought it was...then she may have to find another Heir.  
  
-------  
  
"You two, why you eat....my prize?!" Shampoo blinked. The panda was acting in a definitely non-panda manner, but that wasn't enough to capture her attention as much as the appearance of the girl.  
  
It was like looking in a mirror, except that the other girl's purple hair was tied back in a pigtail and the clothes were some foreign martial arts costume. A "gi" she thought it was called.  
  
Her own eyes blinked back at her as she heard the Guide translating. "Guide! Did these two come from Jusenkyo?"  
  
"This one say if she challenges you for prize, then this isn't a problem. These two are from Japan, an island outside of China."  
  
"Okay, fine. It's expected of me to punish them. That's not what I meant, though. Did these two visit Jusenkyo, that one looks like she fell..."  
  
The Guide nodded. "Yes. These two customers, they just visited Jusenkyo. The boy fell into the spring you made. Now he turns into your twin sister when splashed with cold water. His father turns into a panda. Is this a problem?"  
  
"Well then, I'll try to not to hurt HER too much," Shampoo said with a grin. "Have to get even with them a little bit, I think, for making a mess of my prize."  
  
Shampoo moved to one end of the log, knowing that if this was a boy, he wouldn't be able to fight well in a girl form if he'd just gotten cursed. She rushed in, fully intending to pound her twin sister then forgive her.  
  
Things did not turn out as she planned. The other girl kicked out swiftly, and Shampoo felt herself slam into the ground.  
  
Picking herself off, she smiled, knowing that it was really a boy that had defeated her. If nothing else, maybe this would get Mousse off her back.  
  
She reached up, giving a gentle kiss to the strange twin. There were startled outcries from around the ring, only some of whom had heard the conversation between the Guide and Shampoo earlier.  
  
The Guide, unfortunately, freaked. "OH NO! Sirs," he grabbed the purple haired girl's arm and ran. "That one just give you the Kiss Of Death!"  
  
Shampoo blinked, watching the three running out of the village. This was not how it had gone in her plans.  
  
"Shampoo, that was NOT how you do the 'Kiss Of Death', and you should know better."  
  
"Great Grandma, I talked to the Guide before the fight. The girl that looked like me was really a boy from someplace called Japan who fell in that Spring I cursed."  
  
"Oh, so you DID use the Kiss Of Marriage. How interesting." Cologne chuckled. "Well, child, maybe that 'Dirty Stormy Destiny' of yours is finally upon you, eh? Go now, pursue. I must wrap up a few things here, but I'll catch up with you soon."  
  
"Okay, great grandmother!"  
  
Cologne smiled. Shampoo had her hopes up, and there was a light in her eyes that Cologne hadn't seen in entirely too long. She hoped this would work out.  
  
"Aloe! Tao Kun! Sugar! Spice! Come here, I have work for you." Cologne watched as the four gathered. Aloe, a male but a skilled healer, and one who spoke the Japanese language. Tao Kun, big and strong, and not too bright, but he was a good patient farmer who had helped to keep an eye on Shampoo while Cologne was working on meeting potential new Heirs. Sugar, who was good with a sword but she was also the second best tracker they had. Spice, the exotic looking woman, who had taught Shampoo how to deal with her new role.  
  
Shampoo had not come back from Jusenkyo unchanged. She retained a wracking cough that made her weak when the weather turned cold and damp. While she was still good enough to be the Champion, she was not good enough to be Cologne's Heir, and never would be. All it would take is some wet, cold, weather and Shampoo would be confined to a warm room and those smelly pastes that helped her breathe.  
  
Lorekeeper, though, that was a distinct possibility.  
  
"You four, keep an eye on Shampoo. Stay far enough back that you don't interfere, but close enough that you can reach her if her health takes a turn for the worse. Aloe, she's likely going as far as Japan. Stock up what medicines you think you'll need. Let me know if she decides to accompany her husband-to-be to his homeland."  
  
"Many pardons, Elder," came Tao Kun's deep rumble. "Why us? I mean, normally this is a solo operation, isn't it?"  
  
Cologne drew a deep breath. She wasn't used to males questioning her decisions, but one had to make... allowances for Tao Kun. He wasn't of more than average intelligence, and was slow. In more than one way he resembled a mountain.   
  
"Because, since Shampoo started training to be a Loremaster instead of the Matriarch and my Heir, you four have been some of her staunchest friends. Unlike Rei Ga, I can count on you four to not do anything frivolous that will cause problems.(1) Now please ready yourselves and go."  
  
--------  
  
"Hey, pop, maybe there's a place we can get a meal up ahead!" Ranma was so hungry that the chickens in the yard might not make it to the frypan first.  
  
"Yeah, we might be able to do chores or something for a meal," Genma shrugged, they'd done it before.  
  
"Is good idea. Shampoo have better one!"  
  
Ranma and Genma stopped in mid-step. They turned to look at each other, a large sweatdrop appearing on each head.  
  
Ranma, still in girl form, turned around to see an almost mirror image of her cursed form flipping wildly through a Mandarin-Japanese phrasebook.  
  
Shampoo finally found the page she wanted. "Ah. Town up ahead have all you can eat..." Shampoo looked at the old man and his daughter running down the road as if a demon were after them. Shampoo blinked. "RUNNING AGAIN?! Shampoo get really sick of this."(2)  
  
"_-Uhm, Shampoo.-_"  
  
_"-Tao Kun, you told me you're supposed to watch from a distance. I appreciate you wanting to help, but this is something I'm supposed to do on my own.-"_  
  
_"-I'm sorry, Shampoo. I just worry about you. You're like a little sister to me.-"   
_  
_"-I know. I like you too, Tao Kun. Say, if you could get me ahead of them, that wouldn't be too much help, would it?-"_  
  
Spice leaned against a tree and grinned. It felt SO good to get a break from village life. Now if she could just get her brother fixed up with some foreign woman that didn't look like Dowel or had some talents that the village could use...  
  
-------  
  
Ranma was trapped, there was no way out. Her father had quite abruptly vanished, in panda form no less. Now the door she had ducked in had turned out to be a meat locker.  
  
"Now you trapped," Shampoo said, closing the door behind her. "You sit down and listen to Shampoo now, not go running away again."  
  
"Uh, look, I'm really sorry we ate your prize, and I didn't mean to..."  
  
"You be quiet and listen to Shampoo! I no give you Kiss Of Death, you understand?"  
  
Ranma blinked, looking into that face that looked so close to her own. "No? But the Guide said..."   
  
"Guide not understand. Shampoo not here to kill boy with curse who look like Shampoo's twin sister. You understand? Shampoo not speak Japanese goodly, just learn some this week."  
  
"Really?" Ranma relaxed a little at the woman's nod. She wasn't carrying any weapons, after all. "So why are you chasing me?"  
  
"You promise you no run away? Give Shampoo chance?"  
  
"Well, yeah, I guess."  
  
"Your word?" Shampoo thought about Aloe's coaching on this, he had speculated that these were travelling martial artists so there was a chance that they had a code similar to the ancient chinese shih.  
  
Ranma was relieved that he wouldn't have to fight this girl after all. "Well, yeah, as long as you're not trying to kill me or nothing. Sure."   
  
Aloe and Tao Kun brought the father out from concealment and removed the gag. They'd transformed him to human form first as the panda had just proven too unmanageable.  
  
"What? Pop!"  
  
"Not hurt your father," Shampoo noted with a raised eyebrow to the young man. "Airen tell me what name is?"  
  
"She means you," Aloe prompted Ranma.  
  
"Ranma, Ranma Saotome."  
  
Shampoo nodded. "Aloe, you please explain Ranma, Amazon Law?"  
  
Aloe spent some time going over the basic details, what the law said, the penalties for noncompliance, etcetera. During that time, some hot water was brought from the kitchen and Shampoo got a good look at the male Ranma.  
  
"So, this girl, er, she's got to marry or kill me. She's some kinda warrior-princess, huh?"  
  
Aloe held a hand up. "Her name is Shampoo, if you prefer. Yes and yes, sort of. She's actually in training to be a Lorekeeper(3), which is distinctly different from a Lore Master. Sort of a scholar-warrior, like the ancient shih, if you don't take the analogy too far."  
  
"Ranma, you can't do this! Trust your father on this one, son!"  
  
Aloe stared at Genma with the sort of expression one studies a bug with, when deciding whether it is worth the effort of crushing it underfoot.  
  
Shampoo smiled at Ranma. "So we go to your homeland, yes?"  
  
Spice looked thoughtful for a moment, then addressed Shampoo in their native dialect. "_Shampoo, why not just return to the village with him?_"  
  
_"I've never seen the outside world, Spice, besides- haven't you always told me that Lore is where you find it, that wisdom can be found anywhere, if you but know where to look?"  
_  
_"I'd qualify that as ALMOST anywhere."_ Spice wasn't really unhappy with the concept, just because they didn't have a lot of technology or money in the valley, didn't mean that they didn't want to keep abreast of developments in the outside world. Besides, Aloe was still single, and at his age, that was worrisome in itself. Shifting back to the odd cadence of Japanese, Spice continued. "Look, you accompany your fiance, we'll let that dried up old prune of an Elder know what's going on and see if she wants us to accompany you there.   
  
-----------  
  
end chapter 1, PHMM.   
this was originally written as a 20k Betfic, a single chapter to look at a possibility. i recently found this copy (though i recall vaguely writing out other scenes that were probably lost in one of the hard drive crashes.  
  
It is presented here simply because i liked the ideas presented, and unlike The Art and some other fics of mine that are apparently gone forever, i found this nearly complete copy. Enjoy.  
  
where can this go?   
Shampoo is in training to be  
a Lorekeeper, and has been since she got  
sick after falling in Jusenkyo. She's still the  
village Champion, still an impressive fighter,  
but the pressure has largely been lifted from  
her and she's developed more than the amazon  
killing machine first depicted in the anime.  
She's not quite as good a fighter as in the orig  
timeline, but more apt to find solutions. She's  
also interested in finding and bringing back  
various bits of Lore (information, techniques,  
and developments) that can help the villages  
thrive.  
  
Shampoo and Ranma. Shampoo is  
a LOT more subtle, in keeping with her new  
role. Ranma knows that Shampoo considers   
him to be married to her, and that she's just  
giving him time to get used to the idea. At  
this point, neither know about the deal to  
engage Ranma to a Tendo. She's still as  
affectionate and bouncy as ever, but wants  
to be loved for herself, not because of the  
Law. Shampoo is also the first girl to be nice  
to Ranma, cute, affectionate, and (in her role  
as a Lorekeeper) one of the few amazons who  
actually listens to what a male has to say.  
  
Cologne. Will view Ranma as a   
second chance, particularly as her new Heir  
isn't working out. (May detail Reikei later,   
the trainee whose lack of control gets her  
dumped, becoming a rival to Shampoo  
similar to the Ryouga-Ranma rivalry.)  
Will only make brief appearances though,  
as it would be better if she could find an   
Heir this generation instead of waiting   
for the next one (ie:the daughter of Ranma   
& Shampoo.) Will tend to be the wise and   
supportive elder as she detects that Shampoo  
has already hooked Ranma, and what is   
needed now is to play out the line and reel   
him in when he stops fighting. In the meantime  
is looking for Reikei's replacement by about   
Chapter Five.  
  
Genma. One morning Shampoo  
looks out the window and sees Genma   
running off with an unconcious Ranma  
draped over the panda's shoulder. He  
still plans on uniting the two schools,  
and Shampoo gives chase, though she  
loses them initially due to the humidity  
causing problems with her breathing.   
Ranma escapes. Genma goes on to the  
Tendo dojo, letting Soun know that   
Ranma has been delayed, but will soon  
be here- he's just been hit in the head  
and is delusional. Genma finds and knocks  
Ranma out and goes through most of the   
first episode (anime) with an unconcious  
male Ranma/purple haired girl. "Now watch,  
the amazon he imagines will exactly match  
his cursed form."  
  
Akane. How will she react to  
this purple haired girl suddenly brought  
to the dojo? Not to mention the young  
girl protesting that she's already got one  
engagement she didn't ask for? Will she  
buy this "temporary hallucination brought  
on by the shock of having a curse" line  
that Genma's spinning?  
  
This is fully intended as a  
Shampoo gets Ranma storyline. She   
may also get someone else, but i'm not  
telling at this point. No, it's not Mousse.  
  
As for the four friends: Aloe  
wants to stick around and make sure that  
Shampoo will be okay. After all, it is VERY  
humid in Japan. Akane AND Kasumi both  
think Aloe's quite attractive: he's mature,  
compassionate, the gentle healer archtype,  
doesn't act silly (a plus to Kasumi), isn't in  
love with Kasumi (big plus to Akane). He is  
NOT a fighter, has an aversion to causing   
other people pain, which is one reason he  
hasn't been able to find a wife back among  
the amazons. Good healer, but weak fighter.  
  
Tao Kun, archetype:gentle giant  
farmer. Like a mountain: big, strong, slow  
both physically and mentally, stamina to  
match his strength. Knows the Breaking  
Point manuever and the Iron Skin technique.   
Has trouble with the idea of hurting anyone,  
though he's not as averse to it as Aloe. If  
someone threatens little sister (no bloodline  
connection) Shampoo, THAT can get him  
moving.  
  
Spice sees two possibilites for  
Aloe's happiness, and she loves her brother,  
even if he is a bit weird. Kasumi has the  
gentle nature and nurturer's heart that Spice  
sees as a perfect match to her brother's.   
Nabiki has intelligence, craftiness, and   
an understanding of business practices  
that could well improve the standard of  
living among her people. Maybe...   
  
Sugar, the tracker, probably does  
leave to report on the situation. She may  
return, though, especially when the pet pig  
she found wanders off at an odd time.  
----------------------------------  
(1) Cue ominous thunder.  
  
(2) Maybe this is OOC. Maybe not.  
i don't care, i think it's amusing.  
  
(3) i have no problem with the idea  
of all women of the amazons being trained  
to fight. Just as with any similar group, though,  
some aren't going to be especially interested  
or good at HTH combat. It's not canon, but  
it's human nature. Not all of the noncombat  
roles would be considered suitable for the  
various males. The shih, by the way, were  
real, though accounts of them vary wildly.  
  
  
  



	2. Where's Ranma

Purple Haired Mountain Majesty  
  
DISCLAIMER: you know this stuff already. Ranma 1/2 characters by Viz and Rumiko Takahashi, though this is an Alterniverse that goes off in a *very* different direction than Takahashi-san mapped, but then this author has a different definition of affection than Takahashi-san.  
  
chapter two: Where's Ranma?  
  
The violet-haired Lorekeeper apprentice cocked her head to the side, enjoying the profile of her husband as she asked the question of the old panda. "Is Ranma mother in Ne-ri-ma, then?"   
  
Genma grunted slightly in a vaguely affirmative manner.  
  
Ranma fidgeted, a little uncomfortable with the constant attention.   
  
Shampoo sighed deeply. Her husband was shy and had a huge number of weird ideas imposed on him by his culture. She couldn't even get him to share a bath with her. Pfeh. Cuddling could not be done in public. How boring!  
  
Shampoo was of a warrior culture, for all that she was a Lorekeeper (Junior Level). Seize the moment, love while you can, for tomorrow's battle might be the one that ends your life.   
  
Shampoo tried to come up with a safe conversation topic. She'd quickly found that Ranma wasn't comfortable speaking about feelings, that he did NOT think playing dressup in his cursed form would be amusing, and that he was definitely not on familiar ground with anything that did not deal with martial arts specifically. He also hadn't seen his mother in over ten years and apparently didn't remember her at all. Which was strange, but he'd had a few hits to the head over the years.  
  
"So, Ranma, what you want do after we get to you mother's house? We go have fun, yes?"  
  
Ranma seemed to be studying the clouds mostly. "Uhm, I dunno. I think it's gonna rain."  
  
--------  
  
Genma watched the two and winced.  
  
Shampoo was affectionate, cute, fairly obviously interested in his son, and making allowances for him being raised in a different culture. She was going slowly, but it was obvious that she had hooked Ranma and was just slowly reeling him in.  
  
This would never do.  
  
Genma had interrupted the two whenever possible, had shouted at and berated his son, and had done everything he could think of to drive a wedge between the two. Except telling either of them about the Tendo arrangement.  
  
Though last night, a single question had introduced a tiny niggling uncertainty into Genma's desire to unite the Tendo and Saotome clans. The question had been simple, just Ranma asking Shampoo exactly what a "Lorekeeper" was.  
  
A Lorekeeper was a bit of a Historian, with some Healer and Loremaster involved. The main duties of a Lorekeeper was in trying to keep the lore of the Amazons: their history, culture, and laws.   
  
The doubt was due to the sort of income Shampoo could generate. A fair understanding of Chinese Medicine, accupressure, accupuncture, moxibuxtion, and holistic medicine. Support from her village. From hints the girl had spoken of, she knew secret Amazon martial arts techniques. In fact, due to her lung problems, she tended to rely on them. Ranma could become an even better marial artist associating with Shampoo.  
  
All this, balanced against what Soun Tendo might have accomplished with HIS daughter. Or might not. Hence Genma's dilemma.  
  
Shampoo said something about their promised visit to his mother's house, and then going off to have fun together.  
  
No, this would *never* do.  
  
The functionary head of Clan Saotome (Nodoka had been appointed the real Head Of Clan sometime after Genma had gone to train with Happosai) frowned thoughtfully. There had to be a way to seperate the two before reaching the Tendo household. Ah! That would work!  
  
"Ranma," said Genma, "do you really want to meet with your Mother like that?"  
  
Ranma blinked and seemed to examine himself, trying to figure out what his father was looking at.  
  
Genma chuckled inwardly. The boy was so easy to manipulate. Of course, that had been one of his own goals over the years. "We'll camp over there tonight, then use the bath house to clean up before we go see your Mother."  
  
"Unnn. Shampoo could use washing road dust off too," the purple haired monster that threatened his meal ticket for life chirped agreeably. "What is Mother's name again anyway?"  
  
"Nodoka Saotome," responded Genma then winced. What if this girl could track down... but no. She was clearly too much of a ditz to find someone in a metropolitan area. There was something about that idea that troubled him, but his plan was perfect. Like all of his plans.  
  
Nothing could go wrong.  
  
----------  
  
In a house over two districts away:  
  
Nodoka turned the postcard over, looking at the panda on one side, before returning her attention to the words on the important side.  
  
"Hi!  
  
"Shampoo got the address from Ranma's father's pack. Want to  
give BIG Ni Hao welcome to Ranma's Mother. Shampoo is Ranma's  
fiancee. Get Genma to take us to meet Mother. Is only proper  
for us get meet. Sorry Japanese not goodly.  
-Shampoo"  
  
and scrawled beneath that in a barely legible handwriting:  
  
"Wow! I got a Mom! Hi Mom!  
-Ranma"  
  
Tears washing her cheeks, Nodoka hugged the postcard to herself briefly. Her son was returning, and he had a fiancee! This could be a manly thing or it could be not. She'd have to see when the two arrived.  
  
------------  
  
In a house two districts away from the previous:  
  
Soun turned a postcard over that was identical on one side to the one in the possession of Nodoka Saotome (it being a 3/10 yen deal and Shampoo had ended up paying for them) while weeping even more than Ranma's mother was. "At last, at last. Ranma will be here."  
  
"Hi. Bringing Ranma from China. -Saotome."  
  
Yes, that was definitely Genma's scrawl.  
  
"Oh! How I've waited for this day!" Soun declared this to the postcard. Fortunately the postcard did not reply.  
  
He had to get his girls. One of them would be getting married immediately! If not sooner! "Oh happy day, callu callay," Soun chortled in his joy! The Tendo family legacy would be secure!  
  
-------------  
  
"Shampoo got bad feeling about this," a certain purple-haired Amazon whispered to her airen. "Shampoo think that Ranma's Father have something sneaky planned."  
  
"You worry too much, Shampoo," Ranma assured. "It's an honor thing, and the old man is always stressing honor to me. Besides, we're already in Tokyo."  
  
"Maybe you is right, Ranma," conceded Shampoo. "Shampoo still feel something wrong. Maybe we share tent again?"  
  
Ranma frowned, remembering how he had slept in his cursed Shampoo-twin form one night in the same tent as Shampoo. Only to wake up in a barrel being sent over a set of waterfalls. Ranma had spent over an hour tracking the two down, Shampoo had been tied and gagged and Genma had been running off with her.  
  
Okay, maybe Pop had some weird plan going after all.  
  
"Yeah maybe," Ranma allowed. "You gonna do that shampoo thing again tonight, Shampoo?"  
  
Shampoo shook her head. "No. Only do once per week now. Dull cat phobia take much work. Have to taper off gradually."  
  
"Oh, okay," Ranma nodded. This was something Shampoo did as a Healer and Lorekeeper, therefore it was *not* (strictly speaking) martial arts. Therefore not something he was that interested in, though it did look handy.   
  
Shampoo sighed. This was SO slow. She'd quickly learned that her airen was not that comfortable with open affection. Yet by taking it slow, and being trustworthy, she'd become his friend. He flinched every so often at the term "airen" - which meant beloved, but Shampoo wasn't quite ready to discard THAT occasional reminder that they weren't simply two buddies hanging out. Still, some males spooked easily. Lilac's Douglas, for example, had required six months of courtship before the two had "gotten together" - though maybe modern Japanese were less reluctant than their mid-Century American equivelant.  
  
"What is that?" Shampoo asked, changing the subject, and pointing. "Why building have statue like that?"  
  
"It's a..." Ranma blanched as he realized that Shampoo was pointing at a love hotel. "Errr. Uhm. It's kinda complicated."  
  
Shampoo waited patiently for a few moments. "So? What is?"  
  
Ranma was *not* a complete idiot. Shampoo had declared her interest early on, then backed off when he'd started freaking out. Ranma had a sudden image of him telling Shampoo what a love hotel was, then Shampoo physically dragging him off to "test it out" followed by...   
  
"Why Ranma turning all red like that? You no feel good?" Shampoo quickly reached up and placed her hand on Ranma's forehead, checking for a fever.  
  
Ranma was quite aware that he was being pressed up against by a very curvy and cute young lady who would be interested in doing the old caveman routine, reversed. Clubbing him over the head and dragging him off by the pigtail into that building. What happened after that, he wasn't too clear (having sporadic social contact and missed large chunks of schooling) but he was pretty sure it would be one of those life-changing experiences. Like the Catfist training sort of.  
  
Shampoo checked Ranma's eyes then felt his neck to check lymph nodes. Everything felt ok, except that Ranma was shaking a little now. She decided it must be excitement about meeting his mother, so she smiled and tried to be reassuring. "Is okay, Ranma. Shampoo sure this go well!"  
  
"Well of course!" Ranma blustered. Like he wouldn't be. Whatever it involved. What?   
  
Shampoo nodded with a happy grin. "Shampoo absou... absu... Shampoo real sure. Ranma very strong and healthy." How could a Mother not be glad to be reunited with such a son?  
  
Ranma *really* began to feel panicked now. What was she planning on doing? All it would take was one word from him about that damn love hotel and she'd be doing something unspeakable to him right there in the Park!  
  
"Ranma need to relax some, you no look so good," said Shampoo, beginning to worry now. Meeting his Mother caused this reaction? What were the Japanese customs in such a situation? Maybe if he got a massage? "Shampoo know how relax you, sit down over here."  
  
Genma had been listening and had actually gone even further down the same path as Ranma's speculation. How to keep Shampoo from dragging his stupid and honorless son off for a night of screaming passionate jungle love?! Ah, that might work! "SON! TIME TO TRAIN!"  
  
"YES SIR!" Ranma literally leapt at the interruption.   
  
Shampoo watched the two go off to spar and shrugged. "Well, if that get Ranma to relax. Is a good thing. Shampoo guess."  
  
-----------  
  
The ticking of a clock was heard through the house.  
  
"What do you mean, you've never met him?" Nabiki asked of her father. "You've engaged us to someone on the basis of what his father's like?"  
  
Soun winced, remembering Genma. Picturing Genma (at the age they started training together) as a groom and trying to picture one of his daughters as the bride. "Well, no. It's a matter of family honor, you see..."  
  
"So when is this *BOY*," Akane managed to put a fair amount of loathing into that word, "supposed to get here?"  
  
"He'll be here any time!"  
  
The clock continued to tick away.  
  
"Whatever," Nabiki got up, smoothing her kimono as she did so. "If he's cute, I've got dibs."  
  
"I don't care WHAT he looks like," Akane said, turning her nose away, "he's a BOY. I. HATE. BOYS."  
  
"Oh dear," Kasumi said into the silence as Nabiki went upstairs and Akane stalked back to the dojo. "I suppose I should get back to dinner."  
  
Soun briefly looked about, and seemed to realize that there was only one daughter present. "That's it, then. Ranma will marry you, Kasumi."  
  
Kasumi winced. "Uhm, Father, what if he's younger than me? I mean..."  
  
Soun nodded. "It'll be alright, Kasumi. Father knows best."  
  
Kasumi experienced the sort of stomach-dropping sensation that you normally need a roller coaster ride for. "Oh dear," she repeated. Then thought about it carefully. "Actually, Father, I have a better idea."  
  
-------------  
  
Nodoka cleaned and polished. There had been no date set on the postcard, merely an intention to visit. So that she could meet her son's fiancee no doubt.  
  
If there HAD been a time and date set, she would have embarked on a cooking frenzy. As it was, she had very modest means, and didn't want to spoil food. Therefore, for now, restraint.  
  
--------------  
  
Her cloak settled around her as she stood on the very tip of the peak of the tower.   
  
"Shampoo... Soon I will find you. Soon. Then, Shampoo, I shall destroy your happiness!" The woman drew a sword from within the all encompassing robes and held it above her head. "I swear to visit the vengeance of the heavens upon you!"  
  
Lightning struck.  
  
Unfortunately, standing on the peak of the tallest building, holding a metal longsword aloft, during a thunderstorm, is *not* a particularly intelligent move.  
  
The woman fell to the ground, twitching.  
  
"Well, maybe later," said Reikei before she passed out.  
  
--------  
  
"Where's Tao Kun?" Cologne spoke to Aloe, though she could see Sugar and Spice trudging up the road behind him.  
  
"Tao Kun is slow. Therefore he moves at his own pace to return here. As for Shampoo, she is in Nerima with her husband-to-be and his father, they seek the approval of his mother before the two consummate their marriage," Aloe spoke with his head bowed in respect. Though Lilac, *not* Cologne, was the Elder who was Master of his Crafthall. "Besides, this 'Luan Ma' is aptly named - he is skittish and will need to be calmed and led gently."  
  
"Ah, and this 'wild horse' can eventually become a fiercely loyal husband when he has been tamed to Shampoo's hand," speculated Cologne. "Good enough. Did you see Reikei?"  
  
Aloe looked up, startled. "She is not here?"  
  
Cologne merely shook her head from side to side once.  
  
"This is bad," was Aloe's assessment. "We left the two to report back, and because this Luan Ma seemed to be penned in by our presence, raising his anxiety level."  
  
"Understood," said Cologne simply. "I cannot leave the village at this time. I must train Seikei's replacement. While Shampoo is my favorite great-granddaughter, she is not a martial artist and cannot be my heir with her health so fickle. Therefore someone else will have to look after her. Sash perhaps? She speaks Japanese."  
  
"Isn't she the crazed mangaphile who is always going on about some odd Japanese thing?"  
  
Cologne pursed her lips. "Maybe Sash would *not* be the best choice. Tao Kun, if we send him, might make it months from now. You, Sugar, and Spice may be our best choices."  
  
"Sugar and Spice are likely to embark on a husband-hunt soon after they get there," Lilac didn't mention that she thought it likely that the two buddies-for-life would end up sharing a husband. They shared nearly everything else anyway.  
  
Aloe let out a deep breath. In the Village, strength was the main thing that women found attractive about men. Except in cases like Tao Kun where he had more than enough strength, but was also sufficiently large that the average (5' and change) Amazon saw it as a physiological problem. (One pundit had made a reference to twenty pound babies.) So a gentle Healer wasn't considered that good a catch. "Well, I've got nothing here that I can't put off for a couple of years while we give Shampoo a better a chance. I might be able to study more of that Western medicine while I'm there..."  
  
Lilac and Cologne indulgantly smiled as Aloe started muttering plans for a long stay.  
  
"What of Mousse?" Lilac broached the potential sticking point to her superior on the Council.  
  
"Mousse is reluctant to hurt Shampoo, Shampoo has no affection for Mousse. Even if he defeats her somehow, she can still reject him. And will." Cologne shook her head. "He is still out training in some new application of Hidden Weapons. His obsession with Shampoo may cause problems, but we will see."  
  
"And if nothing else, we can try sending Rouge." Lilac smirked. There wasn't much that could scare Mousse. Rouge, who wanted Mousse to become her husband after suitable "training" was one of those little things. Everyone else treated him as a joke, mainly because he insisted on not wearing his glasses and ended up proposing his love to various livestock. Rouge was the exception. What she wanted Mousse to do was something to terrify lesser hearts.  
  
Cologne winced. Rouge was *not* something she wanted to get out. Better they be thought to be barbarians than to have Rouge giving anyone an impression of what a modern Nichieju was like. "Last resort. Definitely a last resort."  
  
----------  
  
Shampoo woke up coughing weakly but smiling. It had been nice to spring the extra money and sleep indoors. The air kept warmer normally, which didn't irritate her lungs as much as cold air, and all too often there were other hazards to sleeping in a sleeping bag regularly.  
  
Today they would get to go see Ranma's mother. Once they got her approval, as she had told Ranma, they could be engaged without necessarily being married. Ranma didn't want his freedom curtailed, and Shampoo could see his point.  
  
No point in settling down until they'd both had a chance to experience life.   
  
Unfortunately the first thing she saw was a panda kicking her out the window, carrying a burlap sack over his shoulder.  
  
Shampoo had enough time for a ~but he promised! On his family honor he wouldn't do that again!~  
  
The purple haired Lorekeeper landed on the street and spent a moment getting her bearings again before she raced back up to the room. There was no sign of Ranma or his father.  
  
Shampoo went to the roof next, looking in all directions. Still no sign of panda with a burlap sack. Or even Genma and Ranma.  
  
Growling slightly, Shampoo returned to the room and picked up her pack. She'd kept it nearby, so Genma hadn't had a chance to go through it. Pulling out an address, it was obvious to Shampoo that she had to get there ahead of Genma Saotome.  
  
---------  
  
Genma RAN, only stopping when it was obvious that Ranma was not going to quiet down. After grabbing a handy street sign and beating the sack until it stopped moving, Genma slung it again and continued heading for the Tendo dojo.  
  
His son was getting along with a girl. All his careful plans would come undone if Ranma didn't marry a Tendo and became the greatest martial artist of his generation. His son had a Great Destiny to fulfill! (Of course, that Great Destiny was taking over the Tendo Dojo and making sufficient money that Genma never had to lift a hand in his life again.)  
  
Mind you, there *was* some temptation to just let nature take its course with that Amazon. Practitioners of Chinese Medicine could make a fair amount of money. But no, he couldn't be sure of controlling the situation with that gaijin.   
  
Soun and he could handle Ranma, the boy acted a wild horse like his name, but he'd always gone through whatever hoop Genma had for him. He'd protest and squirm and get verbally abusive, but Ranma was quite aware that Father Knew Best and would eventually do the right thing.  
  
Ah! This was the place! Tendo dojo. His future began with  
  
*splash!*  
  
The panda stared at the old woman who was apparently using a fire hose to wash her walk off.  
  
Grunting, Genma decided to ignore Mrs Yamane and just go ahead on in. Besides, Ranma might wake up and take exception to missing breakfast. He'd forget the Amazon after meeting Tendo's daughters.  
  
Afer all, when had Genma ever been wrong?  
  
--------  
  
Shampoo looked over the card, then to the house, then back.   
  
Throwing a quick brush through her hair, Shampoo checked her dress and makeup. As Ranma's fiancee, she had to make the right impression. Japanese kimono, check. Light makeup, check. Her backpack carried instead of worn, check. From what little she had observed, not counting Ranma and his father who were obviously more well-traveled than average, the Japanese were full of themselves. Err. Make that very concerned with their own cultural heritage with a touch of Western mixed in. Sort of like a seasoning, Shampoo had thought.   
  
Shampoo was quick to knock on the door, then stand back away. She'd seen this in that mall. They did the bowing and everything just so.  
  
The door opened. Shampoo bowed. "Pardon this one. Is home of Nodoka Saotome?"  
  
"Yes, I am. Can I help you?"  
  
Shampoo looked up and smiled. The woman had a weapon in her hands. They ought to get along quite well. "My name is Shampoo. I am your son's fiancee."  
  
==================  
  
just a second chapter of PhMM. Probably add a third eventually, though it's not really on the slate for now.  
  



End file.
